


Necessity dictates

by tevinterhexe



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: C2E01 - Curious Beginnings, Campaign 2, Coda, F/M, Multi, Unreliable Narrator, watch this get jossed in the very next episode
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-13
Updated: 2018-01-13
Packaged: 2019-03-04 05:18:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13357311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tevinterhexe/pseuds/tevinterhexe
Summary: Working together to slay a mutual enemy is one thing but afterwards there are still some new group dynamics to work out.





	Necessity dictates

**Author's Note:**

> As usual, this one run away from me and has now almost no resemblance to my original plot. It's for the better, I like to think.

**I. Caleb**  


Getting himself nearly killed, inadvertently outing his goblin companion to a bunch of total strangers, nearly getting killed (again, and at the circus of all places), being under investigation by the Crowns’ Guard —

Caleb Widogast didn’t make the best of choices over the last couple of days. He is smart enough to realise that; and wise enough to realise that knowing all this he still wouldn’t change a thing.

It’s not a choice, he thinks

— and feels quite soothed thereafter.

He could sleep right now.  Don’t you want to go to bed, Caleb? Probably dreamless. You look tired, Caleb. Stinky is what he hears when Jester calls him by his name and it sits like the last glimmer of ember hearth fire inside his rib cage.

Necessity dictates he stay, you see? Someone to watch the mischief-makers he seems to have adopted who shan’t be deterred by the late hour closing in on midnight. No, I know that look. You might disagree now but just you wait.

Jester gives up on him with a dramatic roll of her eyes; and something that kind of looks like pity but can’t be.  


(She turns back to playing Queen’s Call with Nott, who now that she knows the game, gives as good as she gets. It’s quite the sight watching these two trying to bluff, outmanoeuvre and cheat their way to victory with ferociousness despite the stakes being nothing more than a wide array of small sticks and pebbles this time.)

On his right Fjord opens his mouth and Caleb can already taste the disagreement the half-orc oozes like an overripe peach when squeezed, juice drip drip dripping down the fingers.

His fierce children, so independent, so proud, think themselves to old for a guardian 

— he would think it droll were he the kind of man to use such words.

I’m borrowing your cat.

Fjord stands without waiting for his response, gently lifting Frumpkin into his arms. He doesn’t explain himself and he almost immediately starts sneezing. Caleb is reminded of standing in a clearing having lost both the way he took there and the way he intended to leave.

  


**II. Fjord**

The good thing is Beau won’t think less of him because she sees him crying.

The less good thing, well  — the fact that he is crying for one; and not just crying, snot and tears streaming down his face in equal measure, each sneeze feels like a small earthquake that shakes him and threatens to let his knees give out under him.

Okay, so the last part might just be a bit for show. Just a little bit. Teeny-tiny.

Seeing the lights go bright in Beauregard’s eyes when he drops the furry bundle of awfulness into her waiting arms is entirely worth it though. And will be worth it again, twice over, later tonight is what he is guessing.

Here’s another thing (just that, a thing, not good, not bad), Fjord can feel him watching them.

He thinks he is staying, Fjord says in as neutral a voice as possible.

Doesn’t say, he thinks us without parents out of no choice of our own.

Doesn’t say, he thinks it’s us that need him.

Doesn’t say, I think it’s quite the other way around.

  


**III. Beau**

Being a single father can’t be easy, especially not to a little goblin girl with more problems than a day has hours. It takes a certain set of skills  — none which he actually possesses  — but he tries anyway; gods bless him. She doesn’t exactly understand it but will grudgingly admit to admire this sort of dedication, if only to herself of course.  


To answer Fjord instead she simply sneers a little and: we shall see.

It’s not like Beau cares either way. She gets along fine with just about everyone. Unwashed, unshaven wizard dad and equally unwashed outcast daughter; you do you, man, you do you!

Frumpkin purrs in her lap.

There is also this! She cooes and makes ridiculous little kissing noises at this cat and it’s the best thing ever!

We are keeping him, she thinks and means both pet and man.


End file.
